The First of her Kind
by Miss-Fleur-Riddle
Summary: Everything has a beginning, a first is you will. Meet the first witch, Miss Mary Cardinal. She has been blessed by God and is the unknown mother of Merlin the Great. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Prologue

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The First Of Her Kind.

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PROLOGUE

The Parish preacher was the first to see the sight. Now he sat in a stiff arm chair. English tea dripping down his dry throat as he thought over the day. His heavy cotton robes, in the colour of black, were stickling his legs, but he had no energy to change his clothes.

Only two hours ago a woman, a horrible looking creature, came running into the church. Her greasy knotted hair clinging to her face and a bundle pressed close against the round shapes of her bosom, outlined in the dark brown, ripped, shreds of an old dress.

"Help me!" she screamed at the priest, "Help me!"

The priest lifted his old limbs slowly and ordered his man servant to shut the doors of the church. Thus protecting the women from the angry mob outside.

Ushering her to stand by him; he asked what was wrong.

"I have sinned farther. My child, the one in my arms, was born out of the holy bonds of marriage. They wish to kill myself and my child," she explained in her quiet fearful voice. Her frail body shaking violently.

The priest thought for a second, there was something missing, "Then why, my child, do you run here?"

"Farther, I deserve death for the sins I have committed, but my child is pure, she has not sinned. Surely god can somehow protect her?"

'So that's what she wants.' He nodded, he could arrange something.

"Of course my child, you speak wisdom beyond your years. Please pass me the child. I know of a women who has just had a child that was still born. She, of course has not been out of the house since, we can easily disguise the child as her own. Your daughter will never come to know of your sins," explained the priest in a slow voice.

She nodded. Then she passed over the dirty rag where the bundle lay, kissed his hand and then she vanished into the night. Never to be seen in the church again.

The priest unwrapped the thin cotton and stared down into the face of a baby girl. Light brown wisps of hair framed the face of the sleeping child.

"Mary, I shall call you," he murmured softly.

Then he carried the child to the front of the church, and, after pouring holy water into the bowl, he baptised her. Cleansing her of all the sins of her mother.

It had not taken long to convince the woman, one of the more wealthy people in the town, to take the girl, thus Mary Cardinal's birth was celebrated two days later. She was again baptised. The songs from the choir echoed around the high ceilings of the church and the priest thought he saw a small light rest upon the child's forehead. He however dismissed it and went about his duties.

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A/n: Hiya :D Originally this was a series of very short chapters all in one document. However, I decided to lengthen them so that the story was a bit better and not so painful to read. Though it is a short story and I've only got two more chapters to edit so these will be fairly quickly posted - depending on how many reviews I get.


	2. Chapter 1

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Review thanks goes to: Silverbirch - congrats for being the first to review and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

Chapter 1- The First Proposal Of Marriage

Mary Cardinal was a strange child. She didn't have many friends and by the age of 16 even her parents were eager to marry her off.

Things happened around Mary. Not ordinary things either. When she was younger she has broken a vase. However, by the time her mother had re-entered the room after fetching a maid, the vase was fixed. The same thing had happened many times after, with plates, cups and windows. One day in church a heavenly light had taken form next to her. Being alone in solitary pray she had stood and listened carefully to the words of the angel . Discovering that she would must refuse her first offer of marriage as the second would be the marriage that God had planned for her. The priest had witnessed the event and, having heard the words, reported the event to Mary's mother.

The priest now knew for sure something special was to be made of this child. He watched her grew and helped her learn to control the strange powers that God had given her - not wishing her to be caught and burned for witchcraft like the herbal women of the towns. Eventually the small child he had carried in his arms was a small girl of 12 at his alter for her Confirmation. Then she became a young lady and her 18th birthday arrived.

It had been a beautiful sunny day. The clouds had not been seen and the birds had been singing joyously in the garden. No one had any idea that today would be the start of something larger than the world itself.

The Cardinal's ball room was huge and generously dressed in golden fabric. Servants all stood around the edge of the room, holding trays piled with food and wine. Mary was wearing a dress of the purest blue and a string of pearls hung around her neck. As the music began to play her father lead her into the room and she became the centre of attention. A tall handsome man asked for her first dance, which she accepted out of politeness, having found she had no liking for him, and found herself being stiffly swept across the floor - as if she were a rag doll.

After the grand occasion had finished and the guests, weary from dancing, had left for home. She was called to her father's drawing room.

After she had sat on a red chair; her farther, a bulky, balding man, began to speak.

"Mary, I have something very important to discuss with you," he stated importantly, "You are now 18 and so far there has been no offers of marriage made towards you, correct?"

Mary nodded, wondering where this was going.

"Well one has indeed been made, the son of a wealthy estate owner has made his wishes of marring you known to myself. Though I am leaving the decision up to you I strongly recommend that you except," he looked at her appealingly.

"Farther, you know I love you very, very much. But I cannot accept this marriage. It does not, feel right. Though I am sure that this man you speak of is rich and kind. I know I could never love him. I want to marry someone who is the one I choose. The one I fall in love with. After all, marriage only happens once," she looked at her father appealingly, surely he would not go back on his words?

He nodded the showed her out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

The man returned to his chair. He had so wished for her to marry the son of one of his many friends. What was wrong with the girl? Many others would have jumped at the chance!

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A/N: So what do you all think of this chapter then? Please leave reviews they are all welcome.


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